AE-2 ESC Programming WITHOUT Castle Link

[Squishy]

Well, after being a lurker for many years, I decided to finally join the forum, having a bit of useful information to contribute.

I spent a couple days emailing axial, with no definitive answer on how to program the AE-2 without the Castle Link.

I got ahold of CC and after spending some time clogging up there tech support line, I recieved an email a day or two later.
"Apparently Axial did not have the directions for manual programming from us. I have worked with our engineers and created instructions for manual programming. I have also sent them to Axial so they have them for future reference. I have attached the instructions on a word document."

So here is the Manual Programming Instructions straight from Castle Creations Thomas Profert (which should have been included with the purchase of your Wraith or AE-2 or equipped vehicles, but at least we have them now)

Manual programming
Follow these steps to change settings on your Axial AE-2 ESC without a computer.

*Remove your pinion gear before calibration and manual programming as a safety precaution! *

STEP 1 : Start with the transmitter ON and the ESC switched OFF and not connected to the battery.

STEP 2 : Plug a battery into the ESC. Hold full throttle on the transmitter and turn the ESC switch ON. After a few seconds you will get the four rings in a row signaling full throttle calibration. Keep on holding full throttle. After a few more seconds, you will hear another four rings in a row. After the second group of four rings, relax the throttle to neutral. If you have successfully entered programming mode, the ESC will beep twice, pause, and repeat the two beeps.

STEP 3 : The programming sequence is always presented in sequential order and always starts with the first setting (None) within the first section (Voltage Cutoff). The first beep(s) signifies which section of the programming you are in and the second beep(s) signifies which setting is waiting for a “yes” or “no” answer.
As you go sequentially through the options, you will need to answer “yes” by holding full throttle, or answer “no” by holding full brake until the ESC accepts your answer by beeping rapidly. Once an answer has been accepted, relax the throttle back to neutral for the next question. After a “no” answer is accepted, the ESC will then present you with the next option in that section. After a “yes” answer is accepted, the ESC knows you aren’t interested in any other option in that section, so it skips to the first option in the next section.

Settings and explanations
The following section explains all the settings available to you via manual programming and what each one does to change the reactions of the ESC in order to tune it to your specific preferences. More settings are available via Castle Link.

7. Cutoff Voltage
Sets the voltage at which the ESC lowers or removes power to the motor in order to either keep the battery at a safe minimum voltage (Lithium Polymer cells) or the radio system working reliably (NiCad/NiMH cells).

Setting 1 : None
Does not cut off or limit the motor due to low voltage. Do not use with any Lithium Polymer packs!
Use this setting ONLY with NiCad or NiMH packs. With continued driving, the radio system may eventually cease to deliver pulses to the servo and ESC, and the vehicle will not be under control.
You will irreversibly damage Lithium Polymer packs with this setting!
Setting 2 : Auto-LiPo (Default)
This setting allows you to go back and forth between 2 and 3 cell LiPo packs without having to change the cutoff voltage for each one. The ESC automatically sets the cutoff voltage correctly for a 2 or 3 cell pack when that pack is plugged in.

2. Drag Brake
Sets the amount of drag brake applied at neutral throttle to simulate the slight braking effect of a neutral brushed motor while coasting.
Setting 1 : Drag Brake OFF
Vehicle will coast with almost no resistance from the motor at neutral throttle.
Setting 2 : Drag Brake 15%
Very Low amount of braking effect from the motor at neutral throttle
Setting 3: Drag brake 25%
Low amount of braking effect from the motor at neutral throttle
Setting 4 : Drag Brake 40%
More braking effect from the motor at neutral throttle.
Setting 5 : Drag Brake 50%
Fairly high braking effect from the motor at neutral throttle.
Setting 6 : Drag Brake 100% (Default)
Full braking effect from the motor at neutral throttle.

3. Brake / Reverse Type
Sets whether reverse is enabled or not, and exactly how it can be accessed.
Setting 1 : Reverse Lockout
This setting allows the use of reverse only after the ESC senses two seconds of neutral throttle. Use it for race practice sessions and bashing, but check with your race director to see if this setting is allowed for actual racing.
Setting 2 : Forward/Brake Only
Use this setting for actual sanctioned racing events. Reverse cannot be accessed under any circumstances with this setting.
Setting 3 : Forward/Brake/Reverse (Default)
Reverse or forward is accessible at any time after the ESC brakes to zero motor RPM (if the vehicle is moving).



Axial Car ESC Programming Reference:

1: Voltage Cutoff
Option 1 : None
Option 2 : Auto-LiPo (D)*

5: Drag Brake
Option 1 : Disabled (D)*
Option 2 : 15%
Option 3 : 25%
Option 4 : 40%
Option 5 : 50%
Option 6: 100% (D)*

3: Brake/Reverse Type
Option 1 : Reverse Lockout
Option 2 : Forward/Brake Only
Option 3 : Forward/Brake/Reverse (D)*

[danmac]

nice going just programmed my stuff that was a huge help thanks

[HDMM]

Thanks for posting that up, Axial is absulotely no help in this department. I've owned CC's before so I knew you can program them without Castlelink, but it can be a pain.

[DieCastoms]

Ok, I have been messing around with the programming in my AE-2 and have managed to change all the settings and get them to save, successfully, without trouble.

However, when I mess around with the brake/reverse settings, I can chose all three options, but I never seem to get "brakes" ..

I wanted to experiment with forward/brake/reverse, the setting where the truck would have to sit at neutral for two seconds before the opposite direction could be controlled, but I can go from full throttle to full reverse and back without ever getting 'brakes'...

Am I misunderstanding how this works or ... does it NOT work ... or what ...?

thanks.

DC.

[renlo]

Diecastoms, are you looking to add brakes to the esc, If so, you have to select the reverse lockout setting, this means that you brakes but you have to hit the brakes again for reverse.

[evan03]

I've attempted to stick program a few castle speed controls ounce receiving the castle link I felt like it was worth about 100 bucks and really opened up my eyes to castleceletronics.
If you don't have the castle link you my sell just throw the controller in the trash.

[DieCastoms]

Thank you, Renlo. I messed with it some more tonight after reading your post and suddenly realized that with the drag brake set the way it was, it was 'hiding' the brakes from me. NOW I have forward/brakes/neutral/reverse.

I'll mess with it this way for a while, but will likely put it back to normal forward/reverse ..

DC.

[evan03]

Its like sweet shoes with no socks.